Derek Bennett (born 5th November 1930 in Birmingham, died in 2005) was the director of the first episode of Coronation Street in December 1960 working closely with Tony Warren, Margaret Morris and Stuart Latham in choosing actors who would become household names for the remainder of their careers. He directed a total of 22 episodes for the programme.
Prior to that he worked for Granada Television on Biggles, Skyport and Knight Errant Limited and later on for the same company on The Odd Man, Bootsie and Snudge, Maupassant and The Caesars. Other directing credits include Upstairs, Downstairs (twelve episodes including the first version of episode one which was unbroadcast due to the ITV colour strike) and Rumpole of the Bailey. He was also a producer on shows such as Beryl's lot and Lytton's Diary, which he would often also direct.
He retired from television in 1990. In the 2010 drama The Road to Coronation Street he was portrayed by Shaun Dooley.
Episodes directed by Derek Bennett[]
1960 (3 episodes)
1961 (17 episodes)
- Episode 8 (4th January 1961)
- Episode 13 (20th January 1961)
- Episode 14 (25th January 1961)
- Episode 19 (15th February 1961)
- Episode 20 (17th February 1961)
- Episode 25 (6th March 1961)
- Episode 26 (13th March 1961)
- Episode 31 (29th March 1961)
- Episode 33 (5th April 1961)
- Episode 36 (17th April 1961)
- Episode 37 (19th April 1961)
- Episode 42 (8th May 1961)
- Episode 43 (10th May 1961)
- Episode 48 (29th May 1961)
- Episode 49 (31st May 1961)
- Episode 90 (23rd October 1961)
- Episode 91 (25th October 1961)
1962 (2 episodes)